Therapeutic Yoga can help relieve back pain by incorporating physical therapy & yoga. Trudy, a fellow PT & registered yoga teacher, stops by to show me stretches & exercises for back pain relief.
Therapeutic yoga focuses on gentle yoga or modification poses with breathing techniques. Trudy is not only a friend and mentor, but she is also from Canada! So if you are a Canadian viewer, make sure to give her a shout-out in the comments. And Canadian or not, make sure you visit her website!
The first stretch is for back pain relief is for the psoas muscle. Lengthening the psoas can help relieve pressure and tightness in the back.
Next is a stretch for the quadratus lumborum (QL). The QL can cause the pelvis to not move freely which can cause a lot of back pain.
Finally, some core strengthening is a great way to keep the back strong and stable.
Cracking your back can feel great, and it can help relieve back tension and back pain when it's done correctly. But it's very important to have a proper diagnosis because sometimes you should not crack your back at all. So always get cleared by your doctor or physical therapist before trying.
Stretches & exercises are a great way to help relieve back pain. But with nearly 1,000 videos on the Ask Doctor Jo YouTube Channel, it can be hard to find the best one for you. So for 2025, here are some of my favorite Back Pain Relief Videos that actually work!
These back pain relief stretches are great for helping to relieve general back pain and back stiffness. The back stretches are done in real time, so they are easy to follow.
These back pain relief stretches don’t necessarily need to be done in bed, but they are a great way to help relieve back pain in the morning before getting up, and/or when going to bed at night.
This 20-minute back pain relief stretching & exercise routine is done in real-time so it’s easy to follow along. Since back & hip muscles are often the same groups of muscles, it may also help relieve hip pain.
Sore back muscles are common when starting a new workout program or when exercising a little too hard. These back stretches can help relax a sore & tight back and provide pain relief.
My favorite exercise for upper back pain relief is a seated row. It’s a great exercise for your upper back, shoulders, and neck area. This upper back exercise is performed in real-time, so it's easy to follow along if you want.
